Patriots planning tribute to Newtown

Sat, 12/15/2012 - 9:11pm — Rob Bradford

According to ESPN.com, prior to the Patriots' Sunday night game against the 49ers at Gillette Stadium, they will present a series of tributes to the town of Newtown, Conn., where Friday's tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School took place.

The report states the Patriots' helmets will include the black-ribbon logos seen throughout Newtown since the shooting. The organization is also planning on firing 26 flares during the moment of silence -- 20 yellow flares to honor the children that were killed, and six blue flares for the fallen teachers.

The Sandy Hook school resides less than one mile from a Rand-Whitney factory, a company owned by the Patriots' owners, the Kraft family. A Patriots official said the company's parking lot was used as a staging area for public safety officials following the tragedy.